Pole-mounted bracket



J y 1968 R. w. HENNINGSGARD 3,

POLE-MOUNTED BRACKET Filed Jan. 23, 1967 INVENTOR. EQSSEZL ilk/1411mm ATTOQAEVS United States Patent 3,393,888 POLE-MOUNTED BRACKET Russell W. Henningsgard, 504 th Ave. S., Hopkins, Minn. 55343 Filed Jan. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 611,007 8 Claims. (Cl. 248-221) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A display device having hooks quickly attached to or detached from an upright pole, support means attached to the hooks to project outwardly from the pole and a biased pole engaging rod to secure the hooks to the pole.

This invention relates to a display device and, more particularly, relates to a display device adapted to be attached to an upright pole and retain a display thereon.

Merchants must display their wares if they are to sell them. Through the years, the practice of displaying goods in windows and on counters has developed and has reached a high degree of sophistication. Display racks and the like have become numerous and complex and the talents of artistically inclined display designers are in great demand. In fact, owners of large department stores and chain stores have found it necessary to typically engage the services of a single display designer to oversee and aid in displays designed by less artistic and, of course, lower paid display designers. In this manner, display design costs are lowered although the quality and attractiveness of the display is sacrificed.

With these comments in mind it is to the elimination of these and other disadvantages to which the present invention is directed, along with the inclusion therein of other novel and desirable features.

An object of my invention is to provide a new and improveddisplay device of simple and inexpensive construction and operation.

Anotherobject of my invention is the provision of a novel display device which may be used for displays in store windows and on counters to provide a design which may be quickly and efficiently varied as desired.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of an improved and novel display device which may be attached to an upright pole at any vertical location thereon and rotated about the upright pole to the desired orientation.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a display device which may be adapted to display such diverse items as hats, shoes, magazines, plates, ties, shelves and the like by a designer of minimum experience and minimum artistic design ability.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompaying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic sketch showing typical usages of the display device of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the display device of my invention detachably mounted on an upright pole;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the display device of my invention adapted to display hats and the like;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the display device of my invention adapted to display shoes;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the display device of my invention adapted to display magazines, plates and the like;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the display device of my invention adapted to display ties, draperies and the like; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the display device of my invention adapted to display purses, pots, and the like.

The display device of my invention is shown in FIG. 1 in several adaptations providing a window display. The window display is constructed from using the display device of my invention in its modified forms and is indicated, in general, by numeral 10. The display devices are attached to upright poles which are standard, commercially available poles typically constructed of a plurality of telescoping sections with a lower end section adapted to abutt the floor and an upper, spring loaded section adapted to engage the ceiling. The pole is retained in the upright position by wedging the pole between the floor and the ceiling with the spring loaded section maintaining the wedge. A pair of poles, indicalted at 11 and 11a are positioned in line and spaced apart a predetermined distance. Display devices 10 are secured on poles 11 to support shelf 12 on which several items may be displayed. A sweater 13 is displayed on pole 11 above shelf 12 and a pot 14 having flowers therein is retained on pole 11a by display device 10. Pole 15 is of similar construction to pole 11 and 11a and includes a plurality of display devices 10 mounted thereon and adapted to receive and display a hat 16, a tie 17, pajamas 18, a shirt 19, slacks 20, and shoes 21. It should be noted that the vertical position of any of the devices displaying items on pole 15 may be quickly changed or the device removed entirely without disturbing the items displayed above or below the item removed. Further, the display device may be rotated on pole 15 without removing the device therefrom, thereby rearranging the orientation of the items displayed on the display device without disturbing any of the other items displayed on pole 15.

The details of construction of display 10 are best shown by reference to FIG 2. Display device 10 includes an upper, pole engaging hook 22 and a lower pole engaging hook 23 adapted to engage the pole, indicated at 24. Hooks 22 and 23 are spaced apart and are in registry to be affixed to pole 24 without the need for disassembling pole 24 from its upright position. Hooks 22 and 23 are arcuate, forming an approximate arc to mate with pole 24 and snugly engage the pole. Upper support element 25 is integral with hook 22 and extends outwardly therefrom, substantially normal to pole 24. Lower support element 26 extends from upper support element 25 inwardly and downwardly terminating in hook 23 which is integral therewith. It should be noted that upper support element 25 is integral with lower support element 26 and is formed therefrom by bending at arcuate bend portion 27. Pole engaging rod 28 is connected, at one end thereof, to the bend portion 27 between supports 25 and 26 for shiftable movement thereon. Pole engaging rod 28 is of a length greater than upper support element 25, but of a length less than angulated lower support element 26, whereby pole engaging rod 28 contacts pole 24 substantially midway between upper and lower supports 25 and 26 respectively. Pole engaging rod 28 includes a pole engaging grommet thereon, indicated at numeral 29 and shown abutting pole 24. Bias means or spring 30 is connected, at one end thereof, to the upper support element 25 and, at the other end, to the pole engaging rod 28 placing spring 30 in tension. The upward pull of spring 30 on rod 28 urges rod 28 upwardly toward upper support element 25 and, since rod 28 is longer than support element 25, an outward force is exerted by rod 28 on pole 24 tightly retaining hooks 22 and 23 against pole 24.

An inner, upright guide 31 is affixed to upper support element 25 and lower support element 26 as by welding. An outer guide 32, which is upright and parallel with inner guide 31 and spaced apart therefrom a suitable distance, is attached to upper support element 25 and lower support element 26 as by welding. Guide 31 is afiixed on one side of the pair of support elements 25 and 26 and guide 32 is afiixed on the other side of the upper and lower guide elements 25 and 26 whereby the pole engaging rod 28 passes through opening 33 between guides 31 and 32. The shiftable motion of rod 28, as guided by inner and outer guides 31 and 32 respectively, is thereby restricted to vertical movement, and particularly vertical movement as urged by spring 30.

Pole engaging rod 28 is shown in dotted lines in position oriented downwardly toward lower support element 26 thereby spacing grommet 29 away from pole 24 the dimension indicated at X whereby display device may be quickly removed from pole 24 by simply slipping hook portions 22 and 23 from pole 24. The display device 10 is constructed from rigid, but :bendable wire having an approximate diameter varying from inch to inch and may be coated or painted as desired. Grommet 29 may be a plastic or rubber tip which is commercially available and fits on pole engaging rod 28 in press fit relation therewith.

Referring to FIG. 3, my display device 10 is shown with a hat display member 34 atfixed thereon. Hat display member 34 includes hat receiving ring 35 with an L-shaped stem 36 attached thereto, at one end thereof, to position the hat receiving ring substantially horizontal and affixed, at the other end thereof, to device 10 as by welding. Of course, other means for aflixing stem 36 to device 10 may be utilized. It should be noted that stem 36 is welded to upper support element 25 and to lower support element 26 thereby allowing pole engaging rod 28 to shiftably move in opening 30 between guides 31 and 32.

A shoe mounting member 37 is shown in FIG. 4, attached to display device 10, and comprises an L-shaped stem 38 .afiixed to display device 10, as by welding to upper support element 25 and lower support element 26. Shoe receiving element 39 is affixed, as by welding, to stem 38 to position shoe receiving element 39 parallel with, and spaced downwardly from upper support element 25. A pair of shoes are positioned with the heels thereof on upper support element 25 and the soles thereof on shoe receiving rod or element 39. It should be noted that pole engaging rod 28 does not contact stem 38 and is therefore free to move in opening 33 guided by guides 31 and 32 respectively.

In the embodiment of my display device shown in FIG. 5, article supporting member 40 is shown attached to display device 10 and is adapted to receive magazines, shirts, plates and the like. Article supporting member 40 is constructed of a bendable yet rigid wire material and is affixed to upper support element 25 and lower support element 26 as by welding. Pole engaging rod 28 is free to move within opening 33. Member 40 includes a pair of inclined support portions 41 and a cradle portion 42 adapted to receive the articles to be supported.

The embodiment of FIG. 6, shows a receiving ring affixed to lower support element 26 on display device 10, and is indicated, in general, by numeral 43. The receiving ring is positioned generally upright and is adapted to receive material, ties and the like for random draping within the ring.

FIG. 7 shows concentric rings 44 aflixed on upper support element 25 as by welding, in a horizontal position to support purses, pots and the like.

In operation, my display device may be attached to a pole by simply squeezing pole engaging rod 28 downwardly toward lower support element 26 thereby placing tension on spring 30. The pole engaging rod 28 is guided by guides 31 and 32 and swings at the point of attachment of rod 28 to display device 10 at bend portion 27. As the pole engaging rod 28 is urged downwardly it transcribes an are removing pole engaging grommet 29 from pole 24 thereby releasing upper and lower hooks 22 and 23 from the pole. The device may then be rotated on lower hook 23 pulling the arcuate hook 22 away from pole 24 and releasing it. Next, the lower hook 23 may be removed from the pole and pole engaging rod 28 may then be released.

Display device 10 is attached to the pole 24 in a similar manner. First, pole engaging rod 28 is pulled downwardly toward lower support 26 thereby allowing lower hook 23 to be positioned on the pole at the desired vertical position. Next, the display device 10 is rotated inwardly, with lower hook 23 being the pivot point, to engage upper hook on pole 24. Pole engaging rod 28 is then released and tip 29 is urged upwardly by spring 30 and frictionally engages pole 24. This urges the hooks into contact with the pole, thereby tightly securing the device thereon. The weight of the article supported on the device further secures the device on the pole.

Display device 10 may be reoriented by simply urging pole engaging rod 28 slightly downwardly toward lower support element 26 to overcome the tension of spring 30 thereon to remove pole engaging grommet 29 from the pole. With the pole engaging grommet released, display device 10 is free to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the pole 24 or to move vertically thereon to the desired position. It should be noted that this manipulation is quick and does not require removal of the item which is supported by the display device 10.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a display device which is of simple and inexpensive construction and operation. Display devices heretofore available have been unduly complex and therefore useful only to the experienced display designer. Other of the display devices available have required bolting or otherwise more permanently afiixing the display device to a pole or to a counter and, consequently, are useful only to the display designer who can accurately anticipate the attractiveness and appeal of the preplanned display.

The display device of my invention is simple and efficient to use. It may be attached to an upright pole without disturbing the upright pole and without disturbing the display devices which may be attached to the upright pole either above or below the position on the pole at which a particular display device is to be added. Of course, a display device may be removed from an upright pole without disturbing the pole or surrounding display devices attached to the pole. Further, the orientation of a specific display device about the axis of the pole may be changed without disturbing the pole or the device attached to the pole. The vertical position of a display device may be varied with a minimum of effort and without disturbing the item displayed on the display device being adjusted. These features are particularly important in that it allows an inexperienced designer to quickly set up a display, step back and view the results and then quickly make whatever adjustments may be called for.

The above attachments for my display device are intended as illustrative only and are not intended to limit the attachments which may be secured to my display device.

It should be noted that telescoping poles are not the only poles upon which my display device may be attached. Counter top displays oftentimes feature upright poles mounted on suitable support stands. A counter top display may easily be made utilizing my display device attached ot such a pole. It should be further noted that the pole need not be limited to a circular cross-section. Other pole cross-sectional configurations may be used provided the configuration of the hook portions of my display device are changed accordingly.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts of my display device without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A display device for use by display designers and for attachment to a pole, said display device comprising an upper hook adapted to be attached to the pole,

an upper support element afiixed to said upper hook and extending outwardly from the pole,

a lower support element aflixed at the outer end thereof to the outer end of said upper support element, said lower support element extending inwardly toward the pole and downwardly from said upper support element,

a lower hook affixed to the inner end of said lower support element and adapted to be attached to the pole,

a pole engaging rod shiftably mounted at the outer end thereof to one of said upper and lower support elements, said pole engaging rod shiftable between a pole engaging position and a pole release position and bias means connected to said pole engaging rod and to one of said upper and lower support elements whereby said bias means urges said pole engaging rod into contact with the pole thereby tightly securing said display device on the pole.

2. The display device of claim 1 wherein said bias means comprises a helically wound spring connected to said upper support element and said pole engaging rod whereby said pole engaging rod is urged upwardly.

3. The display device of claim 1 including a pole engaging rod guide aflixed to said upper and lower support elements substantially transversely relative thereto.

4. The display device of claim 1 including a pair of pole engaging rod guides affixed to said upper and lower support elements providing an opening therebetween whereby said pole engaging rod is guided to be shiftably movable between a pole engaging position and a pole release position.

5. The display device of claim 1 wherein said upper and lower hooks are integral with said upper and lower support elements respectively.

6. The display device of claim 3 wherein said upper and lower hooks are adapted to be attached to an upright pole and are cooperable therewith and wherein said upper and lower hooks are substantially in registry relative to the pole.

7. The display device of claim 5 wherein said upper and lower support elements are integral.

8. The display device of claim 1 including an article receiving member affixed thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,631,804 3/1953 Uhlhorn 248221 X 3,105,682 10/1963 Ahrens 248-230 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,293,218 4/ 1962 France. 1,370,731 7/ 1964 France.

385,442 3/1965 Switzerland.

ROY D. FRAZlER, Primary Examiner.

FRANK DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner. 

